This one of my all time favorite cloisonné items regardless of age, or “importance”. It was made in the turn of the century (the 1900’s) for trade between China and The USA. There were quite a few made, but because they were so popular-especially in the roaring twenties-they seem to have vanished as for how many were made and how many there seem to be left… ANYWAY, I digress as usual. This antique cloisonné cigarette box is in excellent condition for it’s age and the fact it was probably used a lot of it’s life- not stuck in a glass covered box. The enamel is still bright and shiny and there are virtually no chips, dents or enamel loss-maybe a few microscopic bits of enamel have fallen from a tiny cloisonn here and there, but I had to scour with a magnifying glass to find one tiny piece missing-the size of pin head! The hinges are still working great as is the clasp which keeps it closed-it holds the case together with a quick easy “snap” and is as easy to open as it is to close. When closed, it is 3.5 inches high and 2.75 inches wide, almost a square. It has a pleasing and graceful curve to it, to fit easily in a pocket I suppose, and it is a half inch thick when closed. Its a wonderful dragon box-skillfully made by true Chinese cloisonné artists in a laborious and time consuming process. The bright festive colors are neat and tidy-filling in the tiny wire lines. The dragons are five toed-which I was told represents the emperor and good luck.. There are two dragons on the back-chasing the illustrious “pearl of wisdom”. Flurry of dragon frenzy!! This box is a gem. I would never sell it if I had a choice. But I figure it should be shared so it can be appreciated by fellow cloisonné admirers and I hope that is to whom it ends up with. The inside is a dark copper or brass color with a dark kind of redish patina. The elastic to hold in the cigarettes is long gone, but it still works for this purpose easily if that’s what you intend to do with it. Any cloisonné lover, antique lover or lover beautiful unique items would be thrilled with this little antique cloisonné container. The item “ANTIQUE Chinese CLOISONNE Cigarette box-great condition-CLASSIC DRAGON design” is in sale since Monday, June 08, 2015. This item is in the category “Antiques\Asian Antiques\China\Boxes”. The seller is “bbeadreau-us” and is located in Los Molinos, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Color: black background-yellow and red dragons
• Maker: chinese artists
• Type: Boxes
• Primary Material: Cloisonne
• Age: 1900-1940
• Region of Origin: China
• Original/Reproduction: Original
• a classic cloisonne item: rare and in great condition